Cook County Board Meeting May 21, 2014

A great deal of time was spent by the commissioners acknowledging the life and death of Richard Elrod, former sheriff and judge for the Circuit Court of Cook County, Mother McAuley’s Science Bowl Team, the winning chess team from Marshall HS and Faraday Elementary School, and a large number of Silver Star recognitions to honor wounded and ill members of the armed forces.

Public testimony at the beginning of the board meeting included a large number of employees from Stroger Hospital commenting on proposed pension cutbacks. The comments were very impassioned and the audience was very vocal in support of the speakers.

A proposed resolution to form a task force to research, develop and introduce legislation for legalizing and regulating cannabis use for adults in Illinois was moved to legislative committee.

There was discussion regarding a bill in Springfield, SB 2778, which would change the length of time that a property can be purchased by paying the taxes from the current 12 months to 4 months. The concern is that properties will be sold too quickly before current owners have an opportunity to pay the back taxes and then will be further penalized by large penalties imposed by the new buyers.

 Submitted by Laura Davis and Jura Scharf

Cook County Board Meeting September 7, 2011

The meeting was called to order at 10:10 a.m. by President Toni Preckwinkle. Finance Chair, John Daley, immediately requested that #8 on the Agenda be removed from active discussion and read into the record. This was a Resolution calling for the joining of the national moment of remembrance of the 10th Anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks beginning at 1:00 p.m. The resolution was unanimously sponsored, and Chair Daley's request was passed and read into the record without discussion.  Several Commissioners spoke to the approved resolution and the national tragedy.

The following major issues were discussed and voted upon:

1. Procurement Code Changes
2. Vehicle Policy
3. Dental and Medical Plans
4. Budget Review
5. Cannabis possession
6. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detainees